Need Help Choosing Cookbooks...

My friend's birthday is coming up this weekend and I would like to get her a cookbook, as she is an avid cook/baker. Specifically, I would like to get her some innovative cookbooks about vegetarian cooking and/or cooking with grains. I have done a little bit of research over the internet and have the names of some cookbooks that look promising. However, I'm looking for testimonials from fellow chowhounds regarding these books, or if you can recommend a book that's not on this list I would also be appreciative of that. Thanks in advance for your help!

You can't go wrong with any of the Moosewood cookbooks. They are available from their site and from Amazon.com. Mollie Katzen, who you may have seen on her PBS cooking show, is typically one of the authors.

If you ever are near Ithaca, NY, I highly recommend visiting their restaurant - the food is amazing. I'm not even vegetarian and I love eating there.

I have the Deborah Madison cookbook, I like it a lot. One other you might consider is Jump Up and Kiss Me (I think - I can check at home tonight if you like) especially if your friend likes spicy foods.

My favorite vegetable cookbooks (which might be a bit different from "vegetarian") are Chez Panisse Vegetables (gives a good overview of each veggie by chapter with tasty recipes) and Red, White and Green (Italian-inspired recipes with interesting commentary by Faith Willinger). Both exceeded my expectations.